June 1964- 2 weeks til liftoff

Over the course of a month my personal life started shining brighter.

Days spent working, the boys always around for a joke and a laff, John ever so patient and fun. I was really going to miss them when they left on the tour. Freda and I had wrapped the tour agenda up nicely, everything was set for them, no stone unturned.

John burst in red faced out of breath, huffing and puffing, frantic for my immediate attention. "Rox. I. You. Excuse me. Huh"

"John for goodness sake take a breath. Sit and I'll get ya a drink of water!"

"No. Time. Must sort this" now he sounded like he was drawing his final breath and needed to speak his last words.

"Here. Drink. You idiot!" Smiling and chastising at his puffing and panting was rather fun.

"OK I need a big thing sorted and sorted quietly"

"What is it then, Mr. Bond"

"Rox!....... Sean or Roger?" John smirked back instead of concentrating on his errand he was off now racing to a loony and silly end.

"Oh I don't know Roger then Sean. No. No! Sean then Roger?! I don't know! Get back on track laddy" I really shouldn't send him off on odd tangents but the outcomes were such fun!

"OK, when we're in Sydney, Pretty boy is turning 22. On the 18th "

"Do you hav' a parrot called Pretty Boy? I didn't know that! You want me to feed him something special on his birthday, do you?" I winked at Freda who was rolling her eyes thinking this was the barmiest conversation she had heard yet.

"Oi. I'll get you Nicholls come on serious and such. Pretty boy equals Paul ie Paul is 'aving a birthday Down Under" John saying Down Under in his 'Aussie' Accent.

"Righto got it, you- no bird, Paul- getting old" I was getting good at stirring the pot!

"Oh, that's not very nice Roxan. Poor ol John doesn't have a bird, don't 'av to blab that round the whole office now. Poor lonely Johnny boy, come on I'll look after ya lad. Shame on you Rox Paul is younger than me does that make me old too!?" Rich landed in the office as if stepping from stage left, right on cue. Attempting to lift John and hug him, succeeding at neither.

"Oh I give up. You with ya parrots and you Rich, pitying me. Be gone you fools!" John stood up tall as a soldier pointing a straight arm down the corridor which happened to be over Freda's head but that was ok as Freda was now in a heap on the floor!

"OK OK serious now. Lets sort Paul or Polly. I can arrange a cake and balloons, no biggy. Consider it done captain" I saluted.

"Nope want to DO something, make a spectacle out of it. Flashy. Different instead of" John pauses and grimaces sounding sour and dull "boring bloody hotel rooms"

"It's the 18th- have to double check shows that day and the next, is it wise to have a big do if there is shows scheduled? ...Look, give me an hour or two and I will have a few options for you. OK"

"Thanks luv. Knew you were the man for the job" John smacked a sloppy kiss on the side of me head and pranced out with Rich tailing behind him.

"Where's that map of Sydney Freda. Ta. Now they are staying here, the shows are here. How about you look in this area see if you can see any places of interest... Different, as the boss says and I'll look this side of Sydney"

"Cinema" Freda tooted.

"No"

"Walk round Circular Quay, Darling Harbour.

"No, if the fans see 'em....."

"Ferry ride?"

"Wait on, you might have something there". I pointed out what I spied. Freda started jumping up and down.

We had hit gold.